It’s been one year since the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision was notoriously leaked.
Since then, we have witnessed a significant response from Americans on both sides of this issue.
Let’s take a snapshot view of the aftermath.
- There are now 16 states with laws that provide total or near total protection for unborn babies.
- 6 more states have pro-life legislation pending in the courts.
- 28 states allow abortion on demand until birth or offer very few protections for babies.
Some states protect their most valuable natural resource – preborn children. Others have majorities of extreme pro-abortion legislatures guilty of acts of barbarianism and civil rights travesties. Not since the dark days of slavery have entire segments of humans been legally declared mere chattel.
Yet, there are signs of hope and celebration as states with pro-life legislatures carry out the mandate given to them by the voters: cherish and protect innocent human life. Even when the victory is small or success eludes them once again.
The Kansas legislature successfully passed a bill requiring medical care for babies who survive late-term abortions, but Governor Laura Kelly vetoed it. Not to be deterred by their extreme pro-abortion governor, a bipartisan vote to override her veto was successful. A small but important victory.
Nebraska’s Unicameral (one house) legislature has repeatedly teetered on success working to outmaneuver Democrats’ efforts to filibuster every pro-life bill that is passed.
This time it was supposed to be different. But during their battle to protect unborn babies with heartbeats, one of the sponsors turned his back on the babies. Republican State Senator Merv Riepe abstained from voting on the bill, allowing the Democrat filibuster to prevail, killing the legislation. Riepe, who claims to be pro-life, said he didn’t “want to be mean.” The lack of his vote allowed babies in Nebraska to be killed by the thousands. Senator Riepe’s action far surpassed mean, it was cruel and heartless.
Several pro-life states have enjoyed success saving all unborn babies from the cruelty of abortion.
Mississippi is a shining example. Governor Tate Reeves said, “Mississippi will be relentless in its commitment to life. We will be relentless in our support of mothers and children. And we will be relentless in our efforts to advance the New Pro-life Agenda.” This wasn’t political hyperbole on the part of the governor.
The House Speaker’s Commission on Life was established as well as the Lt. Governor’s hearings on Women, Children and Families. Together the state passed significant legislation on not just abortion but substantial resources and avenues to advance life-affirming options for women and families. Their successful legislation included:
- An increased tax credit for pro-life pregnancy centers from $3.5 million to $10 million.
- A business tax incentive to donate money to qualifying pregnancy centers.
- A new income tax credit for families who are adopting.
- Increasing the Child Protection Service budget to the highest in state history.
- Creation of the Mississippi Task Force on Foster Care and Adoption.
- An extension to the postpartum care for women on Medicaid, allowing 12 months of postpartum care for qualifying women and their babies.
Several states are not only ending or significantly limiting abortion but also providing resources women and their children need to say yes to life. Pro-life legislators and governors are not the cold-hearted politicians that pro-abortion activists claim them to be.
In the immediate wake of the leaked document, pro-abortion domestic terrorists lashed out against pro-life pregnancy centers and entities and churches known to take a pro-life stand. Hundreds of these facilities were either firebombed or heavily vandalized – or both – causing significant damage.
The Life Choices pregnancy center in Longmont, Colorado was firebombed and vandalized the day after the Supreme Court’s ruling on Dobbs. Like scores of others, the building suffered heavy fire and smoke damage and pro-abortion slogans were spraypainted across the building’s façade.
Instead of going after these domestic terrorists, the pro-abortion state legislature and governor passed a bill that highly restricts how pro-life pregnancy centers communicate with the public. It also bans abortion pill reversal, a tested and medically accepted treatment for women who change their minds after taking the first dose of chemical abortion pills.
As the list of those victimized by terrorist activities expanded, the FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ) did little if nothing to catch the perpetrators and bring them to justice. Instead, they attempted to intimidate peaceful pro-life protestors in aggressive SWAT-like fashion.
An even more disturbing development was the secret infiltration by the FBI and DOJ to identify more pro-life advocates.
Federal government officials have been sending spies into Catholic churches, attempting to work with church leadership to identify “radical traditionalist” and “mainline” Catholic parishes. Instead of targeting domestic terrorists, they’re going after pro-life traditional Catholics. Both CatholicVote and Judicial Watch are suing these bureaucratic menaces to expose their efforts. It’s as if we live in the Soviet Union!
During the first year post-Roe, there has been a mixture of good and bad. Clearly, fewer acts of terrorism would have occurred with effective investigation and prosecution. And evidence continues to pile up that our own government is plotting against us.
The pro-life movement has endured persecution for over fifty years, and we aren’t about to be intimidated into silence while our nation is embroiled in the worst civil rights injustice of modern times.
We will continue the battle!
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